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A few years back, seat belt violations went from being a "secondary offense" out here (to be added to a ticket for something else) to a "primary offense" (you can get pulled over for not having your belt on.)

This happened about the time that budget issues were starting.

I dislike laws that are meant to protect me from me. Why? They're usually a pain.

I got pulled over for no belt when I was shuffling vehicles once a couple of years back - at no time was I on the roadway for more than fifty yards!

Yep, you can bet I fought that ticket, simply on the grounds of common sense (you could tell I wasn't driving any distance, I was holding the door open slightly to look out behind me.)

Oddly enough, common sense prevailed for that one - the judge couldn't see why I had to wear a seat belt for fifty yards on a dead-end street, either, when I was just shuffling vehicles to get some work done. "Dismissed!"

The cop wasn't too pleased about that, either. But, sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you...

I totally just got a seat belt ticket about 2 weeks ago. So yes, there are dumbasses amongst the general population like me who get in a rush and don't put the damn thing on sometimes.

"Just a simple choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your doors, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love instead see all of us as one." - Bill Hicks

Everything I drive makes annoying noises if I don't buckle up.
Also it is easy for a cop to see whether or not the belt is on.
If you want the law in your car leave it off.

Are seat belts helpful? Sure.

However, I don't see that a law is necessary in order to make you wear one. Methinks it's more about "revenue raising" than "public safety awareness" - and that's why seat belt laws have become primary offenses, instead of secondary offences.